“A New York Affair” Top Insider Pits Yankees Against Mets as Juan Soto’s $500 Million Free Agency Rumors Begin Heating Up

While the love story of Juan Soto and the New York Yankees is continuing to grow deeper, there are still a few roadblocks that they have to cross. The biggest one is Soto’s agent, Scott Boras. While players and teams might get emotional sometimes, Boras doesn’t know what emotions mean. The super agent only cares about getting the most lucrative deal for his clients and that’s why, even after looking like a natural match, Soto’s long stay in the Yankees isn’t guaranteed. But who can give Boras more money than the “Big Evil Empire?” Perhaps a certain New York Mets can answer that question.

After all, while the Yankees have deep pockets, the Mets’ owner, Steve Cohen, has a deeper pocket. More importantly, the Mets are desperate; they’re currently floundering and need a player they can build around. And who’s better than a 25-year-old Juan Soto? Perhaps that’s why, in his appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Jeff Passan noted that Soto’s free agency would be a “New York affair.”

It’s been known for a long time that Soto and Boras will try to at least cross the $500 million mark. Despite Soto’s apparent weakness in defense, there’s little doubt over that figure. Partly because he’s a playoff-proven hitter and mostly because he’s so young. So it isn’t a surprise that Passan thinks that the Mets and the Yankees might break their long-standing understanding with each other for Soto.

“To me, this feels like a New York – New York affair,” Jeff Passan said. “ I know that the Yankees and Mets don’t like going up against one another for free agents but the Mets need a player around whom they can build. And the Yankees have a player who has proven capable of not just walking into Yankee Stadium and being good but walking in and being great, being foundational, being the match for Aaron Judge.”

But even if the Mets and the Yankees compete for Soto, one wonders just how much flexibility the Metsies have. Despite trading away much of their squad last season, their payroll remains over $300 million. So can they afford Juan Soto?

The payroll issues and rebuild needs could derail the Juan Soto pursuit

The New York Yankees’ Hal Steinbrenner has already shared that he’s looking to lower the payroll next season. While that in no way means that a serious Juan Soto push is out of the table, it does mean that the Yankees recognize the importance of financial flexibility. The more they empty their payroll from elsewhere, the more they’ll have in their war chest for Soto. But the Mets have a different situation.

The Mets’ payroll currently sits at $328 million (per Spotrac). However, next season it’s estimated to go down to $143.5 million. That’s amazing news for the Amazin’ Mets. But then one remembers that they are also trying to sign Pete Alonso to a deal. Can the Metsies pull off a miracle and get both Soto and Alonso? That’s a bit tough especially because the Yankees provide Juan Soto with a winning environment. While in the Mets, he’ll have to be a part of the rebuild. So what will Soto do? That’s a tough question to answer.